Hardaway was not in Rivals’ top 150 and, if not for his famous name, might have drawn even less attention.

Yet four years after his commitment to U-M and fans' disappointment about missing the highly rated players, Hardaway is the player leaving school early for the NBA.

Hardaway announced Wednesday he’ll forgo his senior season, having made the All-Big Ten first team last year and averaged 14 points per game for his career.

“Nobody had the idea of how good this young man could be,” U-M coach John Beilein said. “(Former assistant) John Mahoney saw it early. We followed up on it, and once I got to meet this young man -- he came up for the Duke game -- I knew this guy fits. I didn’t even know, at that time, we were going to get the complete package, a guy so committed to individual improvement (that) we could have done anything. If we tried to make him a point guard, he probably would have made big steps in that direction. 'Whatever you want, Coach, that’s what I’m going to do.'”

Though Hardaway started from the beginning of his career, he didn’t find his groove until the second half of his freshman season, when he dropped 30 points in a game against Iowa.

Though his three-point shot faded as a sophomore, Hardaway found ways to improve his body by getting stronger. As a junior, he rounded out his defense and ballhandling.

As important, in Beilein’s mind, was the transformation of the U-M program during Hardaway’s three years. The first three years under Beilein, the Wolverines won 46 games. With Hardaway, they won 76.

“It’s been incredible,” Beilein said. “Eleven teams went through here without getting an NCAA watch, and this guy, in three years, has three watches, two rings. It’s incredible what he’s accomplished. With all the attention to Darius Morris and Zack Novak and Stu Douglass and these guys, this guy’s been through it all, and he hasn’t had a bad year here. Every year has been another step in the right direction.”

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Hardaway’s value to the program might not be measured until he’s gone, but he appreciated that U-M was willing to take a chance on him when other schools wouldn't.

“It’s been an amazing ride, and none of this would have been possible without coach Beilein giving me the opportunity to come here and play,” he said. “It was great to learn the ropes form Zack Novak, Stu Douglass and Darius Morris my first year here. Just learning from those guys, it helped me become who I am today. It’s a blessing.”

As for the guys with the high rankings who were predicted to save the program, Ziegler chose to play for his father at Central Michigan, transferred to Pittsburgh after his father was fired and now is transferring again to finish his career.

Prather went to Florida -- after taking his Michigan visit with Hardaway -- and finally saw the floor this year, averaging six points per game as a reserve.

“I’m just a hardworker and a guy that prepares like crazy,” Hardaway said. “I watch a lot of film and do whatever I can to prepare for whatever challenge is thrown at me.”

The big one awaits at the pro level, but Hardaway knows about disproving doubters.